J-Bar-M Barbecue, located at 2201 Leeland, has announced the addition of pitmaster Arash Kharat. Having recently served as culinary director at acclaimed Blood Bros. BBQ, executive chef at Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company and executive chef-pitmaster at (long-closed) Beaver’s West, Kharat’s addition to the team seems only natural. 

Open since 2021, and owned by University of Houston alumnus John Toomey, J-Bar-M Barbecue was named one of “The 25 Best New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas” by Texas Monthly in 2023. Much more recently, just this week it was named among the top 100 restaurants for barbecue by Texas Monthly. Its ‘cue originates in a pit room which boasts four 1,000-gallon, offset steel barrel smokers hand-built by Moberg Smokers of Dripping Springs, Texas, and two BQ Grills built in Elm City, N.C. Kharat will be loading these behemoth smokers with post oak wood to create a rich and smoky flavor. 

Having spent a decade in corporate fine dining, working for the likes of Chevron and Saudi Aramco before training with pitmasters Ara Malekian at Harlem Road Texas BBQ and Quy Hoang at Blood Bros. BBQ, Kharat, an Alief native, brings a wealth of experience to this new gig. “Hospitality is in my blood — my dad was a chef for 30 years, so I got pulled into it from a young age,” Kharat said. “I’ve learned from some of the best in barbecue that it’s not just about flavors and technique, but about consistency and being nice to people. I’m excited to bring that attitude to J-Bar-M and have some fun with the incredible equipment we have here.”

In addition to a warm, hospitable touch, Kharat has plans to add recurring weekly specials. These include Friday Steak Night featuring a cowboy cut bone-in ribeye with fresh side salad and a rotating side, Saturday Crawfish Boils and Sunday Barbacoa smoked overnight in maguey leaves, which pays homage to Houston’s Hispanic population and the tradition of preparing barbacoa on Sundays. Pizzas made from 72-hour cold-fermented dough and baked in an Ooni oven will also be on offer with unique toppings such as brisket, jalapeño-cheddar sausage and pickled onions. 

General manager Hoffie Ferreira says it was Kharat’s understanding of the hospitality industry that made him the ideal person for the J-Bar-M pitmaster role. “His creativity is going to take our barbecue offerings through the roof,” Ferreira said. “Arash is a culinary professional, and he also loves to be out in the dining area and greeting people. That is the kind of culture and sense of community that we love to promote here at J-Bar-M.”

J-Bar-M Barbecue boasts a stylish, spacious 8,000-square-foot dining room and a large covered patio with an indoor-outdoor capacity of 350. The patio is equipped with a 179-inch LED screen and a stage for live music and also features murals from Houston-area artists. For more info, give them a ring at (713) 534-1024, check out the menu online or give them a follow on social media. 

Alex Gregg